Improvement in spinning-tops



P. ELEY.

Improvement in Spnnngf-cvpsf- Patented MaJ/16,1871

burr/allor "Alia-iisd gttttiee @tutti @wie rHILir ELEY, or New YORK,

AssreNOR To ISAAC COLE, OF BROOKLYN, Newv YORK.

Letters Patent No. 114,781, dated May 16, 1871.

'HAVIPRQVEMENT IN SPINNING-TOPS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part ofthesaine.

I, PHI'LIP LEY, of the city of New York, in the county and State of NewYork, have invented certain- Improvements in Spinning-Tops, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Nature and Object of the Intention. My 'invent-ion relates to aspinning-top having the novel feature of possessing within itself `asteam-power.

to make itrevolve on its centerof gravity, which rendeis ititself-acting toy or steam spinning-top.

Descriptiva of Drawing. f My drawing represents a sectional elevationthrough center of my improved spinning-top,.and of the lamp for raisingsteam therein.

General Description.

A is the top, which may be made of any desired shape which fancy ortaste will dictate, and of any suitable material.

' rlihe top A is made hollow and'steam-tight, so as to act as a boiler,.and it has at the top and bottom proper points, a and a', to act aspivots for its motion.

'l is a small pipe passing out at f near the bottom of the top A, andhaving a portion, j' t, bent in a' spiral manner around thennderv partof the top A.

The pipe 1 terminates at its end/i by a small open- `a gas-burner, G, sothat the gas issuing therefrom 'may enter the chamber M and pass out bysmall holes m m m, to be ignited therefrom. v

The wicktubes ttare arranged outside of the chamber M, so that the lampB may be used either as a spirit-lamp, -or as a gas-furnace or burner,o1` both at the same time. y

Lis an arm arranged so as to swing or be pivoted from the center' C, andhaving a "spring, S, which retains it in either of the positionsindicated' in my drawing.

The arm L has at its top a cavity, D, for receiving the top point orpivot a. ofthe top A.'

Any other'arrangement may be devised in place of the arm L which willanswer the same purpose, which isto have a frame or support for theupper point of the top A, to keep the same steady until it has attainedthe proper velocity required to keep it poised upon its, lower point a',and that -support may be removed at pleasure, as shown by the letters L'and D on my drawing.

Operation.

The top A, being partially filled with water, by heating said top andallowing it to cool with the end tof the pipe T dippingin water,isplaced between the two bearings X and D. The lamp is now lit, eitherburning gas or spirit, or both, as already described-and steam is soonformed within the top A.-

As the steam passes out through the pipe T it is dried perfectly in thepart ft thereof, and, issuing from the small hole at t, the top willsoon revolve freely between the two bearings D and X, in the manner ofHeros engine, with this important difference, how-` ever, that, by thespecial construction of my boiler orsteam-top, when it has attained itsfull velocity, lthe arm L may be thrown back (as indicated by theletters L' and D) and the top A will continue to revolve and keep itselfpoised upon the point a in the cavity X, in the manner of an ordinaryspinning-top, and the momentum it has is so great that it may be removedfrom the lamp and placed upon a ta'ble or Hoor, where it will spin al'ong time.

A steam-top' being obtained, it is susceptible of being adapted to agreat variety of fancy tops, which will have the great attraction overother tops that it will spin as long as heat is kept under it and thereis water therein.

Claims.

l. A top lself-revolving, by the power of steam, applied inthe manner ofHeros engine, substantially-in the manner herein set forth. r

2. The top A, havingr the pipe T, with its superheating partfi,substantially as and for the purpose described.

l3. The lamp B, with its gas-chamber M and movable frame L, or itsequivalent, in combination with the topiA, arranged so as to operatesubstantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

' PHILIP ELEX. Witnesses:

J. P. HARPER, Jr. H. GENGEMBRE HUBERT.

